


I'll Be Here to Hold Your Hand

by Songbird321



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cuddles, Extraneous Amounts of Sass, Hospitals, In which Bertholdt is sick and Reiner is a good boyfriend, M/M, Sickfic, boyfriends living together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2016-12-05
Packaged: 2018-09-06 17:59:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8763283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Songbird321/pseuds/Songbird321
Summary: “Oh my gosh, you’re so cute.”“Stop telling me I’m cute,” Bertholdt snapped back. “You want me to stop complimenting you?” Reiner challenged. “Yes. Stop calling me cute when I’m clearly sick and gross and the opposite of cute,” Bertholdt replied, sounding unnecessarily grumpy over such a small issue.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So, this was written for Bertcember, but got way out of hand and is now this long work here. It was written mostly cause I got the image for the end a few weeks ago, and needed to share that. This is also a piece-work of a few little plot pieces I've amassed over the time I've been in this fandom. And I just hope that you enjoy it, cause I enjoyed writing it. 
> 
> Notes: They are in their third year of college living in an apartment together. Annie lives in the apartment upstairs. Bertholdt's a bio major, (as I'm sure you'll pick up on...) And there are references to other stories within this au in my head, so there are "inside jokes" that may make little sense, but are only there to show their intimacy, nothing you need to worry about. 
> 
> Enjoy!

The only thought that Bertholdt had the energy to entertain as he did his best not to fall over on his way back to the house was wondering how he’d gotten out of bed that morning. He hadn’t slept very well, and if his calculations had been correct, he’d only logged about four hours of sleep. The sweatshirt he’d thrown on over top of a long-sleeved sweater wasn’t helping at all against the chills he was trying to ignore, and the miserable weather wasn’t helping either. His throat felt like he’d been swallowing pinecones for fun, he couldn’t breath through his nose, his head was pounding, and he hadn’t really eaten that day as the thought of actually eating the cereal he’d pushed around in his bowl that morning had made his stomach turn. 

As much as he hated to say it, or think it, Bertholdt had to admit to himself that he felt incredibly under the weather and probably shouldn’t have gone through the process of getting up at all. But unfortunately there had been a final to take, a genetics final, and feverish or not, he had to take that test. Thankfully, it was his last exam and he now had all the time in the world to sleep off whatever bug had infiltrated his system. 

The rush of warm air that met him as he pushed open the door to the apartment felt like absolute heaven. After closing the door (and the frigid air) behind him, Bertholdt paused, his back resting against the door, and he simply took a moment to breathe. Or at least he tried to breathe, but that didn’t seem like an actual possibility as the air got stuck in his throat and prompted a round of coughs that left him very out of breath. Well, that was worrisome.

Particularly because of the two flights of stairs he had to climb to get to the apartment. An involuntary whine slipped from his throat as Bertholdt looked at the steps. He begrudgingly pulled of his hat and scarf to eliminate the heat that was already closing in on him, (the apartment’s staircase was always insanely hot regardless of the season, and was even oppressive after being out in the artic city streets.) With a reluctant sigh, he started the climb up to the second floor. 

Which was a harder task than it should have been. Every part of him began to scream in protest to the movement, but Bertholdt ignored it all, zeroing in on the goal of making it inside, putting on sweatpants, and sleeping for the rest of the year. The thought was enough to keep his legs moving, even if he did have to keep to firm hold on the banister to keep himself upright. 

By the time he reached the second floor, he was breathing much harder than he should’ve been, but didn’t want to stop walking in fear that his body would just give up and he’d end up sleeping in the hallway and the neighbors would judge him, (probably. The neighbors were nice enough, but who wouldn’t judge someone for sleeping in a hallway?) Fumbling for his keys, Bertholdt kept on his path towards his bed. 

As he opened the door, entered the apartment, and disposed of his winter wear, Bertholdt felt a small hope tug at his heart that Reiner would be home. He knew he wouldn’t be; his boyfriend had a final exam at noon and it was 11:45 now. Campus was fifteen minutes away. Reiner would have left a long time ago to get there early like the good student he was. Bertholdt knew that. And yet, he was still met with a fleeting stab of disappointment at the empty apartment. Nothing sounded better right now than curling up with Reiner in their bed, listening to the blonde talk about everything and nothing, keeping him warm and safe as he slept this thing off. 

But boyfriend cuddles would have to wait. Bertholdt set off towards the kitchen, turning on the teakettle and depositing his backpack on one of the kitchen chairs before moving towards their bedroom. For once he was glad he’d chosen not to put his contacts in that day, solely because he didn’t have to mess with them now; one less obstacle between him and sleep. Bertholdt quickly pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved t-shirt from his pajama drawer and wasted no time in switching them with his street clothes. He grabbed a sweatshirt from their drawer on his way out for good measure, (their apartment wasn’t this cold all the time, was it?)

The kettle was singing by the time he made it back into the kitchen, and Bertholdt wasted no time in turning it into tea. By the time he fell back onto the couch, his legs were practically shaking, feeling as though they were moments away from collapsing on him. Well, that was worrisome too. 

Bertholdt sighed, a soft moan escaping his throat, only because he knew he was alone and no one was around to make him feel guilty for verbally expressing how miserable he felt. And the worst part was that he would have to fake it later that night. Because it was squad movie night. Reiner had worked for months to convince the squad to all go see the newest James Bond film after everyone finished their finals, and tonight marked the end of everyone’s exams. That meant he’d have to spend a few hours with his friends, making small talk and jokes. Sure some of it would be spent in a theater, and he really did love the squad, but hanging out with the 104 seemed like mission impossible. And it was hours away. 

Sighing again, Bertholdt tried to put the thought from his mind, focusing on finishing his tea so he could take a nap. Even if he couldn’t sleep forever, he could sleep enough to feel human enough to be present with the squad tonight. With that thought in mind, the brunette reached for the copy of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban he’d left on the coffee table, opened to a random page, and started reading. While he could usually read for hours without getting tired, Bertholdt knew that his mind, exhausted as it was by finals, would quickly shut down when presented with a book. And he wasn’t wrong. 

 

Reiner pushed open the apartment door with a smile on his face. Usually, Bertholdt wouldn’t be home by now, but it was finals week, and the brunette had had a test that morning, but was free for the rest of the afternoon. And Reiner had finished his exams that afternoon. So that meant they could actually relax tonight. And the sight of Bertholdt’s shoes on the mat and his coat on the hook made Reiner smile even harder. 

Carefully slipping off his own shoes and hanging up his own coat, Reiner walked down the short hallway into the living room, which was seemingly empty. The kitchen was empty as well, only Bertl’s backpack sitting on one of the chairs at the table. He figured the next best place to check was their bedroom.

Without hesitation, the blonde moved through the living room, his hand sliding along the top of the couch as his eyes narrowed in on the closed bedroom door. When he reached said door, he twisted the knob as gently as he could. Just as he pushed the door open to the dark room, a small noise caught Reiner’s attention and, hands still on the doorframe, he turned back to examine the room he’d just passed through. 

Bertholdt was lying on the couch, fast asleep with a book in his hands. He was wearing his glasses, the frames pressing into his face where they met the couch, as if he hadn’t intended to fall asleep. He looked adorable. 

“Lord have mercy,” Reiner muttered to himself, the faintest of smiles playing on his lips as he moved towards the sleeping brunette as quietly as possible. He took a quick glance at the book, (one of the Harry Potter books, he couldn’t tell which,) before turning his attention to his adorable boyfriend. From this close, Reiner could hear a slight wheeze in his breathing, and, suspicion piqued, rested a hand against the young man’s forehead. Bertholdt’s skin was warm, not hot, not worrisome yet. Still, the blonde shook his head. He should’ve seen this coming. 

It was almost an unspoken rule that Bertholdt always worked himself down to nothing during finals week. He’d gotten sick after finals the past two years, so why should this year be any different? Especially since his immune system was probably still a wreck from the virus they’d both had a week ago. Reiner mentally hit himself for not predicting that this would happen, but knew it wouldn’t do either of them any good if he was down on himself. Cause Bertholdt would notice, and then he’d worry, and then they’d be worse off then they already were. 

As Reiner’s thoughts turned, he felt Bertholdt squirm against his hand, and the blonde didn’t bother moving away as green eyes blinked open. 

“Good morning,” Reiner said with a winning smile, retracting his hand so Bertholdt could actually see his face. 

“Is it actually morning?” Bertholdt asked blearily. 

“No, I just felt that was fitting for the situation,” Reiner answered, maneuvering to sit next to the brunette on the couch. “It’s only a little after two. What’re you doing on the couch?” 

“I feel asleep,” Bertholdt answered, rubbing his eyes under the frames of his glasses. 

Reiner smiled at the gesture, running a soothing hand up and down his boyfriend’s leg. “Finals wipe you out?”

“Yeah,” Bertholdt nodded, voice cracking on the simple syllable, prompting a series of grating coughs that had Reiner frowning. “I also think I’m sick again.” 

“Well you are the bio major so… you’re probably right,” Reiner replied, trying to rouse a smile out of his boyfriend. “Which is totally unfair, by the way.”

“Tell me about it. It’s like I died, then got to come back to life for a few days before dying again, but in a more painful way.”

Reiner smirked. “I blame finals.”

Bertholdt gave him half a smile. “Finals killed me.”

“They really did,” Reiner nodded. 

Silence lapsed between them, comfortable as they held each other’s gaze.

“Are we still going to the movie tonight?” Bertholdt asked. 

“I don’t know.”

“Why not?” Bertholdt asked, sitting up suddenly. Reiner flinched, caught by surprise. The movement made the brunette dizzy though, and he blinked a few time to clear the spots from his vision. “It’s all you’ve been talking about for a month.” His body didn’t like the motion either, as his words were followed by another round of rough coughs caught in his elbow that had him bent in on himself. 

Reiner shook his head, gently pushing the brunette back down against the couch once he’d regained his breath, (or a semblance of it, as he was wheezing more obviously now.) “I don’t want to force you to go out when you’re still fighting this cold…”

“What’s the weather like?”

“It’s bordering on zero,” Reiner replied. Bertholdt bit his lip, his eyes darting around as if he could find another solution. “Bertl, really, it’s okay. I don’t want to make you converse with people if you aren’t feeling well. And I really don’t mind missing…”

“No, you shouldn’t miss it because of me,” the brunette interrupted, shaking his head. “You should go. Without me if that makes you feel better.”

“No, out of the question.”

“Why?”

“I’m not leaving you here alone,” Reiner said around an incredulous laugh as he smoothed Bertholdt’s hair away from his forehead. He didn’t miss the flash of relief pass through those green eyes at his touch. 

“Reiner, I’ll be fine for a few hours. Go and enjoy yourself,” Bertholdt said in as much of a scold as he could manage. “Besides, if you go without me, then you can come home and relive it all again by telling me all about it.”

Reiner scoffed. “Then that would spoil it for when we go and see it together.” 

Bertholdt smiled. “So you’re gonna go?”

Reiner heaved an overdramatic sigh. “You’re not gonna let me stay here, are you?” Bertholdt shook his head. “Then fine. I’ll go.” 

“Good.” 

“But that means I get to cuddle with you until then!” A devilish smirk crossed Reiner’s face as he rushed to his feet and into their bedroom. He heard Bertholdt call out after him, but didn’t pay attention to what surely was a protest, (“No, you’ll get sick!” “Reiner, what are you doing?” “Reiner, no!”) Reiner pulled out their bin of blankets from their store under the bed, and snatched one of the extra pillows off the bed. He considered pulling the whole box of extra winter things out anyway; it was getting cold enough outside to start using them every night now. But that was a matter for later. 

“Here,” Reiner said as he waltzed back into the living room. “If you’re gonna stay on the couch, you might as well be comfortable.” 

“Who said I was staying on the couch?”

“Me. So that I can still talk to you even if you won’t let me cuddle you,” Reiner said in reply with a cheeky smile before throwing the blanket on top of his boyfriend’s head. Bertholdt responded with an indignant huff, the blanket covering him as if he were trying to dress up as a ghost. Reiner laughed, placing the pillow where the brunette’s head would soon be. “You could be the ghost of finals past right now.”

“I am the ghost of finals past, here to remind you of all the questions you felt uncertain about,” Bertholdt said, raising his hands like a zombie, his voice muffled by the blanket fabric. “Remember all that uncertainty, and tremble in your indecision between answers A and B!” Reiner laughed at loud, telling Bertholdt to hold on as he took a Snapchat of it and sent it to the squad, saving the picture for good measure. 

“Okay, you’re good.”

Bertholdt pulled the blanket off of his head, revealing his perfect smiling face. His glasses fell off center, and as he went to adjust them, Reiner snapped another photo. The brunette’s eyes narrowed. “What was that?”

“A memento of you how adorable you look right now,” Reiner answered with a grin. 

Bertholdt hummed in distaste. “I do not look cute right now. I look gross.” He finished his statement with a round of gravelly coughs and a pointed look at Reiner, as if that proved his point. 

The blonde just shook his head. “You may say that, but I’m going to have to disagree.” He motioned for Bertholdt to lie down. “Now lay back down before you hurt yourself with your own sass.” Bertholdt chuckled as he did as Reiner said, pulling the blanket up so that it hugged his body like a cocoon. “Now what else can I do for you since you won’t let me cuddle with you?”

“Wait, you actually heard me say…?”

“Boyfriend’s intuition,” Reiner cut him off with a nod. “I know you well enough by now to know that if you’re contagious, you’ll only cuddle with me if you’re too tired or delirious to override your bio major instincts.” Bertholdt rolled his eyes at the bio major mention, but didn’t interrupt him. “So, what else?”

“I’m fine, really,” Bertholdt replied with a shrug. “I’m probably just going to go back to sleep…” 

“You’re not hungry or anything?” Reiner quizzed. Bertholdt shook his head before coughing. “Want me to get the vapor rub back out?” 

“No!” Bertholdt exclaimed, the sudden outburst costing him another coughing fit. 

“Aw, come on! But last time was so great…”

“No, no it was not. Last time was the most awkward experience of my life!” 

“See you say that, but knowing you, I highly doubt an intimate moment with your handsome boyfriend was the most awkward moment of your life.”

“The answer is no. No, no, no, a million times no!”

Reiner shook his head, holding up his hands in surrender. “Alright, fine. You win.” He turned to walk back into the kitchen, but stopped halfway there. “But I’m still adding it to the list of sexy things!”

“Reiner!” Another round of coughing. 

“Hey, save your voice. At the rate your coughing, you’re gonna lose it by five,” Reiner said jokingly. Bertholdt jokingly flipped him a very un-Bertholdt like hand gesture. Reiner laughed out loud. “Go to sleep, you sassy turtle.”

“Yes dear…” 

Within ten minutes, Reiner heard Bertholdt’s breathing even out. He tiptoed back to the couch to make sure that the brunette was asleep, and let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding when he saw that he was. As much as he liked to tease Bertholdt, Reiner couldn’t help but worry. A pit of nerves was already growing in his stomach, a sense of foreboding clouding his thoughts. 

Bertholdt was generally a very healthy guy. But the fact that his immune system had already been compromised before this new bug was troubling. Cause there was a good chance that round two was gonna be worse. And Reiner wasn’t sure if he was ready to handle ‘worse’ without totally freaking out. 

 

Bertholdt had been asleep for an hour when Reiner thought he heard him wake up. From his spot at the kitchen table, Reiner watched the brunette move around on the couch a bit, his movements too deliberate for a restless sleeper. Besides, Bertholdt slept like a statue when sick, so he clearly wasn’t sleeping anymore. But the brunette didn’t say anything, didn’t given any kind of sign that he was awake. Maybe he didn’t know Reiner was there, watching him. Or maybe he just didn’t want to talk. Either way, Reiner found it adorable, and let the brunette continue to think he wasn’t under surveillance. 

It wasn’t long before the movement stopped again, and Reiner assumed his boyfriend had passed out again. Which was probably a good thing. 

It was another hour later when Reiner started to hear movement again, and this time he actually stood up and went over to the couch. 

“Hey,” he said quietly just as green eyes opened up to meet his. 

“Hi,” Bertholdt whispered, curling away and stifling a round of rattling coughs into his sleeve. 

Reiner winced, feeling his own chest constrict. “How’re you feeling?”

“Bad,” Bertholdt answered plainly, a sniffle punctuating his statement. 

“Whoa, you’re not even going to try to sugar coat it?” Reiner asked teasingly, raising his eyebrows. “How sick are you?”

“Enough to know that you teasing me is unfair,” Bertholdt said in reply, pulling his blanket up to his chin and pulling it tighter around himself. 

“I’m sorry,” Reiner said. 

“No, it’s okay. I like it when you tease me,” Bertholdt replied with a soft smile. 

“Oh really?” Reiner asked, one eyebrow arching up. “Should I put it on the list of sexy things?”

“Sometimes I love you, and other times I hate you for all the reasons I thought I loved you,” Bertholdt muttered, his eyes narrowing, completely unamused. Reiner laughed, shaking his head. “I mean it.”

“So do I,” Reiner countered. 

“Go home.”

“I live here.” 

“Doesn’t matter.”

“You’re just saying that cause you’re sick and miserable.”

“You’re not wrong.” 

Reiner paused, unable to think of another witty comeback, and unwilling to keep arguing with his boyfriend when he knew he really was miserable. “Is there anything I can do for you?” Bertholdt shook his head. “Are you positive?” 

“Yes, I’m positive,” the brunette repeated. 

“Okay,” Reiner said, deflating slightly. “Then I’m gonna go back to my work now.” Bertholdt smiled at him, and Reiner couldn’t help but smile back as he moved back to the table. 

“Hey Reiner?”

The blonde perked up, turning around to address his lump of a boyfriend on the couch behind him, eyebrows raised to prompt him to go on. 

“Could you actually grab the heating pad out from the third drawer down on my side please?”

“Yes, of course,” Reiner replied. “The plug-in one or the microwavable one?” 

Bertholdt quickly assessed the area around the couch. “Microwaveable. I don’t think there’s an outlet close enough for the other one…” His voice trailed off into a cough as Reiner moved to do as asked. He found the heating pad Bertholdt had from dance team and followed the instructions to heat it up in the microwave. “How hot do you want it?”

“Medium?” Bertholdt replied, unsure himself.

“Where are you putting it?”

“By my neck.”

“Medium should be fine,” Reiner said, arranging the settings on the microwave and hitting start. He leaned back against the counter, looking back at the living room as the machine whirred softly behind him. “I’ll check in on you every few minutes to make sure you won’t burn to death.”

“Okay,” came the soft reply from the couch. Reiner’s lips curled into a frown as the microwave dinging behind him. The blonde pulled the heating pad out and moved into the living room. “Here.” 

“Hmmm, you’re the best,” Bertholdt sighed as he took the proffered item and adjusted the material around his neck. He practically melted with a soft sigh at the heat. 

Reiner frowned again. “Is your neck bothering you?”

“Everything’s so sore,” Bertholdt replied softly, already closing his eyes again. “But I feel like if I have it here, it’ll be most effective.”

“What hurts?”

“Everything.”

Reiner resisted an eye roll. “Come on, bio major. Give me more than that.”

Bertholdt gestured vaguely as he spoke, eyes still closed, “Head, ears, neck, chest, shoulders, back, arms, abdomen. Literally every part of my body is aching right now. You did not need to invoke the bio major.” The last piece was mumbled and ended in a weak cough, but it was still clear enough for Reiner to catch the words. The blonde chuckled softly. 

“Is there anything else I can do to make you feel better?” Bertholdt shook his head. “You sure?”

“Leave me to my misery?”

“Dramatic aren’t we?” Bertholdt just hummed in response. Reiner frowned. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay home with you tonight?”

“Yes. I want you to go have fun.”

“Cause I have no problems canceling…”

“I know you don’t, but I do,” Bertholdt replied, voice sharp as it could be despite the fact that he was clearly falling asleep again. “Don’t stay home because of me. Go enjoy your movie.”

Reiner shook his head. “You’re insufferable.”

“ _You’re_ insufferable,” Bertholdt repeated. Reiner chuckled, reaching down to lightly ruffle the brunette’s hair before moving back to the table. He grabbed his book and moved back into the living room, settling in on the armchair across from the couch. Bertholdt didn’t appear to hear him, and if he did he must not have felt much like talking. Reiner didn’t blame him. 

The blonde set to work actually reading the book this time. He only looked up at the sound of a quiet sneeze and a whispered “Ow,” grinning at the adorable human before him. 

“Oh my gosh, you’re so cute.”

“Stop telling me I’m cute,” Bertholdt snapped back. 

“You want me to stop complimenting you?” Reiner challenged. 

“Yes. Stop calling me cute when I’m clearly sick and gross and the opposite of cute,” Bertholdt replied, sounding unnecessarily grumpy over such a small issue. 

“I’m sorry you’re sick again,” the blonde said, looking back down at his book. 

“It’s not your fault,” Bertholdt mumbled in response. 

“Still, I hate seeing you miserable.”

“Well I don’t like seeing you miserable either.” 

Reiner smirked. “That’s sweet of you.” Bertholdt hummed softly. “Are you going back to sleep now?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay. Sleep well.”

“You too.” 

Reiner held back a laugh, flipping to the next page before he realized he hadn’t been absorbing anything from the book since he sat down. 

 

Half an hour later, Reiner was brushing up his teeth, getting ready to meet up with the squad. But it didn’t feel right. He knew that Bertholdt wanted him to go out, and while a little part of Reiner still really wanted to see the film, a bigger part of him didn’t want to go without Bertl. As a man of honor, he had priorities, and Bertholdt happened to be at the top of that list. And even though it was Bertholdt’s wish that he go out with their friends, it still felt wrong to Reiner. He’d much rather binge Disney movies he’d seen a million times with his boyfriend than go see something new without him. 

But he couldn’t deny Bertholdt anything, even against his better judgment. So he was going. But he wouldn’t stay longer than necessary. Checking his reflection one last time in the mirror, Reiner flicked off the bathroom light and walked back into the living room. 

He was greeted by the sound of a barking, desperate cough. Bertholdt was sitting up now, leaning heavily against the back of the couch with one hand clutching at his chest. 

“Babe?” Reiner asked. Only Bertholdt’s eyes moved to address him. “You sound really bad.”

“I know,” Bertholdt croaked back. He swallowed the hard, the movement terribly painful from his look on his face. And the look of discomfort didn’t go away, as if he were in a permanent state of pain. Not to mention his skin had gotten considerably paler, save for a bright flush in his cheeks. 

Reiner frowned, moving from his chair to place his fingers against Bertholdt’s forehead. He felt his eyes widen. “Bertholdt, you’re burning up. Why didn’t you say something?”

“I don’t know,” the young man replied weakly, like a child getting yelled at. Reiner bit his lip, checking his tone. He hadn’t meant that as an accusation, but it had probably come out as one. “I…” He paused, and Reiner squeezed his shoulder, encouraging him to go on. Bertholdt winced as the words formed on his tongue. “My chest feels really tight.”

“Okay,” Reiner said slowly, taking it slow. “Is the thermometer still in the bathroom?” Bertholdt nodded. “Okay, sit tight.” 

Reiner thought he heard some sort of mumbled response as he raced into their bedroom and the adjoining bathroom, pulling open both top drawers in search of the thermometer. He found it in his drawer, and carefully closed both drawers before heading back into the living room. Bertholdt was still sitting up, but his eyes were closed again, one hand held over his chest, face scrunched into a grimace, but he woke up quickly as Reiner gave his shoulder a light shake.

“You know the drill,” the blonde said, holding out the little machine. Bertholdt nodded silently as he took the thermometer from him and obediently stuck it under his tongue. 

When the machine beeped, Bertholdt moved for it first, examining the little numbers. His face didn’t show any signs of reaction as he handed the thermometer to Reiner. The blonde felt his heart sink to his feet. 

“Shit.” Reiner stood up from the couch and began pacing. He ran his hands over his face. “What do we do now?”

“Hospital.” Reiner looked down at the couch to see Bertholdt watching him with an intensity that seemed impossible with the glassy haze that was clouding his eyes. “We should go to the hospital.” 

“Okay.” Reiner nodded, pulling his phone from his pocket as he moved off into the bedroom. He dialed Annie’s number and rested the phone between his ear and shoulder, still moving as he waited for her to pick up. He snatched his backpack from his desk, emptying it of his schoolbooks before filling it with a change of clothes for both of them. He’d just moved into the bathroom when Annie’s voice appeared on the other end. 

“Hello?”

“Hey Annie, it’s Reiner.”

“Yes, I have caller ID. What’s up?”

“Listen, I think I have to take Bertl to the hospital. He’s got a fever that’s almost breaking 105. Can I borrow your car?” 

A beat of silence from the other end that had Reiner’s heart pounding. “Of course. I’ll come drop off the keys. What else do you need me to do?”

“If you want to come be moral support, I’d like that.”

“I can’t come with you now; I have to give a presentation for my internship in an hour. That’s why I was gonna miss squad night, remember? I’ll meet you there immediately after it’s over, okay?” 

“Thank you so much, Annie. We owe you one.”

“See you soon.”

Reiner shoved his phone back into his pocket as he finished up packing their toothbrushes and other necessary toiletries into his backpack. He zipped the bag closed as he rounded back into the living room. Bertholdt was still sitting up on the couch, but was now leaning forward, elbows propped up on his knees and face held in his hands. And Reiner could hear his wheezing breaths from here, strained and painful. Reiner’s heart cracked in two at the sight of his boyfriend so miserable, but this was no time for him to fall apart. He could do that later, once Bertholdt was in the hands of a professional.

Reiner’s next move was to get himself ready for the elements. He threw on his shoes and coat, then grabbed Bertholdt’s and brought them over to the couch. He slipped on the brunette’s shoes without disturbing him, but the coat would need more cooperation. 

“Hey, can you stand up for me for a second?” Reiner said gently. Bertholdt nodded without moving his body at all. Reiner waited a few moment for him to move. When he didn’t, Reiner gently grabbed a hold of his arms. “Come on, babe, I need you to cooperate with me here.” 

Bertholdt only hummed in response, but didn’t resist as Reiner pulled him to his feet. He moved his limbs enough to help Reiner put his coat on, but he was shaking, from chills or fatigue or both, Reiner couldn’t tell. The blonde bit his lip, guiding Bertholdt back onto the couch, and wrapping the blue blanket around his shoulders, sending mental messages to Annie to hurry up. She only lived one floor up, it wasn’t far…

A knock sounded at the door and Reiner left Bertholdt on the couch to answer it. Annie already had the keys held out for him. 

“Thank you,” he said by way of greeting. 

Annie simply nodded, dropping the keys into Reiner’s outstretched hand. She knew that Reiner only panicked over three things: enclosed spaces, her, and Bertholdt. She’d known him long enough to catch the panic in his eyes and the urgency in his voice, something that escaped most people. “What’s wrong with him?” 

Reiner shrugged. “I have no idea. He was sick when I got home, and we both thought it was just another cold, but he's gotten worse in the past hour. And he’s too delirious now for self-diagnosis. But it’s bad.” _And I'm scared._

Annie nodded. “I’ll tell that squad you’re not gonna make movie night. Take care of him.”

“I’ll do my best.” 

“I know you will.” Annie gave Reiner’s shoulder a squeeze before heading back down the hall towards the stairs. Reiner spared a moment to watch her go, the feeling of her encouraging touch lingering on his arm, boosting his confidence. He’d have to thank her for that later. 

Right now, he had a job to do. 

Reiner moved back into the living room and swung his backpack on. He then pulled Bertholdt back to his feet, and, wrapping a supporting arm around the brunette, guided him towards the door. Bertholdt’s legs luckily cooperated with him. And the boy himself didn’t protest, only asking a soft, “Reiner?” as they approached the stairs. 

“I’m taking you to the hospital, like you told me to, bio major.” 

Bertholdt didn’t even protest, simply leaning into Reiner’s side as the blonde practically dragged him to the car. It was all the brunette could do to keep his legs moving. He focused all his energy on taking each step, one foot in front of the other. Every other thought was just too loud, too much. 

By the time Reiner helped him slide into the passengers seat, Bertholdt was semiconsciously aware that something had gone very, very wrong tonight. And it was all his fault. He didn’t even feel the hot tear that slipped down his cheek as he feel asleep against the window, and even if he had, he wouldn’t have been able to discern if he was crying because he felt genuinely miserable or guilty for running Reiner’s night. Or maybe it had something to do with the sudden lack of oxygen in the air. All three ideas floated in and out of the feverish delusions that played in his head before he completely lost consciousness in the passengers seat of Annie’s car, Reiner speeding through traffic next to him. 

 

_Everything is going to be fine._ Reiner repeated the words in his head as he took another sip of his coffee. It wasn’t the best coffee in the world, but he didn’t expect much from the hospital. It was caffeine and that was enough. The rush from the drink replaced the rush of adrenaline he’d had coming over here, and helped him stay awake. He didn’t want to be asleep when Bertholdt woke up. 

By the time they’d arrived at the hospital, Bertholdt was no longer lucid, far too delirious to even know what was going on around him. Thankfully he’d been able to at least walk with Reiner into the hospital. From there, Reiner had had to give the doctors the best summary of situation as he could, which felt ridiculously inadequate because Bertholdt hadn’t really told him anything. Bertholdt rarely complained about anything, and for once Reiner wished he had. All he had to go off of was what he could observe: fever, chills, cough. And even though he knew the doctors would be able to figure out the problem in the blink of an eye, Reiner still mentally kicked himself for not being to help more. 

But the doctors had figured it out, and told Reiner everything was going to be okay. Bertholdt had contracted pneumonia, most likely because the first virus weakened his immune system and made way for a worse infection, and on top of that, he didn’t sleep enough during finals weak to boost his strength. The doctor said Reiner did the right thing bringing Bertholdt here. The brunette was now asleep in Room 214, hooked up to a few machines and an IV his left arm. An oxygen mask was strapped over his mouth and nose, and although it was an eerie sight, Reiner watched as his boyfriend’s breathing began to even out. _Everything is going to be okay._

Reiner took another sip of his coffee, and his eyes moved back to the book he’d been absently reading for the past hour or so. He still didn’t really know what it was about, hadn’t actually been reading. His mind was too preoccupied with the boy in the bed in front of him. 

The monitors began to beat a little faster, and Reiner glanced up from his book to see tired green eyes watching him. Green eyes that lit up when Reiner held his gaze, as if that confirmed his identity, or maybe that he was a real person. The doctor said that Bertholdt might have hallucinations because of the fever or even the medication. Reiner dropped his book and reached for the brunette’s hand, squeezing gently, making sure the brunette knew he was here. His boyfriend’s skin was surprisingly cold to the touch, and Reiner squeezed his hand again to generate some warmth. 

“Reiner?” His voice was soft, muffled by the mask. But definitely Bertholdt. 

The blonde smiled softly. “Hey babe.”

Bertholdt smiled back, the gesture mostly hidden by the oxygen mask. “Where are we?” the brunette asked. His forehead wrinkled at the sound of his voice, and he seemingly noticed the mask for the first time. His hand reached towards it. Reiner immediately swatted his hand away, earning him a hurt, confused look from the brunette. 

“Don’t touch that. You need to keep that on for a while, okay?” the blonde instructed. “We’re in the hospital. You have pneumonia. That mask is giving you oxygen, and the tubes in your arm are pumping you with fluids and antibiotics to help you get better. If you were in your right mind, you could probably tell me what they are.”

“I am in my right mind…”

“Right, cause you totally aren’t laid up in a hospital bed with a 104 fever and industrial strength drugs running through your system,” Reiner replied with a nod. “Not to mention the fact that you were dehydrated and oxygen deprived.”

Bertholdt blinked at him. “I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be. It’s my fault for not noticing that something was wrong earlier.”

“No it’s my fault for being…” Bertholdt lifted his hands and let them drop to his sides with a soft thump. He didn’t say anything else, and Reiner repressed a laugh at his answer. 

The blonde reached forward, brushing Bertholdt’s hair away from his forehead. “It’s not your fault.” His lips followed his fingers, pressing a soft kiss to the brunette’s forehead. Bertholdt hummed contentedly. “I’m just happy you’re okay.”

“I’m happy you’re here,” Bertholdt said in reply. Reiner smiled at him, his fingers still lingering in Bertholdt’s hair. 

“I know it’s early, but do you feel any better now?” the blonde asked, concern etched into his face. 

“A bit, yeah,” Bertholdt answered with a small nod. “My chest doesn’t feel so tight anymore. But I still feel so… bad.” Reiner clicked his tongue in sympathy, moving his fingers back to the top of the brunette’s head and running them down through his hair again. He felt Bertholdt shiver under his hand. 

“Are you cold?” Reiner asked. Bertholdt nodded, heavy eyelids drooping closed. “The nurse said that the IVs might make you feel cold. I think she said there was an extra blanket somewhere…”

As his eyes combed the room for the blanket, another thought formed in Reiner’s mind. He peeked sparingly at the door, even though he knew he was going to follow his new plan whether he had permission or not. Without another moment’s hesitation, the blonde climbed into the tiny bed, scooting in close to his boyfriend and wrapping the brunette up in his arms. Bertholdt didn’t even try to protest, tucking his head against Reiner’s chest and melting into his embrace. He made a small noise of contentment that made Reiner’s heart sing. 

“Better?”

“Better,” Bertholdt sighed, a peaceful smile stretching on his lips.  
The sight of such a calm look on the brunette’s face brought a smile to Reiner’s face too, feeling satisfied that Bertholdt had finally accepted his comfort. “I love you,” he whispered into the brunette’s ear. 

“I love you too,” Bertholdt whispered back. 

 

A half an hour later, Annie rounded the corner into Room 214 to see both of her over-six-foot friends crammed into the small hospital bed, both fast asleep with their limbs tangled together. But they looked peaceful, happy. The monitors hooked up to Bertholdt’s arm were beeping evenly, providing as soothing background noise as a hospital could provide. 

Annie smiled, pulling her phone from her pocket and snapping a picture. Not even for blackmail purposes. She knew that Reiner would appreciate having this moment captured on camera. And she couldn’t resist taking a photo of her boys looking so adorable.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for reading!


End file.
